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UID:UW-Physics-Event-3107
DTSTART:20140418T153000
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
LOCATION:2241 Chamberlin Hall (coffee at 4:30 pm)
SUMMARY:New Physics from the Sky: Cosmic Rays\, Gamma Rays and the Hunt for Dark Matter\, Physics Department Colloquium\, Stefano Profumo \, UC Santa Cruz
DESCRIPTION:Can we learn about New Physics with astronomical and astro-particle data? Understanding how this is possible is key to unraveling one of the most pressing mysteries at the interface of cosmology and particle physics: the fundamental nature of dark matter. I will discuss some of the recent puzzling findings in cosmic-ray electron-positron data and in gamma-ray observations that might be related to dark matter. I will argue that cosmic-ray data\, most notably from the AMS\, Pamela and Fermi satellites\, indicate that previously unaccounted-for powerful sources in the Galaxy inject high-energy electrons and positrons. Interestingly\, this new source class might be related to new fundamental particle physics\, and specifically to pair-annihilation or decay of galactic dark matter. This exciting scenario is directly constrained by Fermi gamma-ray observations\, which also inform us on astrophysical source counterparts that could be responsible for the high-energy electron-positron excess. Observations of the gamma-ray emission from the central regions of the Galaxy as well as claims about a gamma-ray line at around 130 GeV also recently triggered a wide-spread interest: I will address the question of whether we are really observing signals from dark matter annihilation\, how to test this hypothesis\, and which astrophysical mechanisms constitute the relevant background.
URL:http://www.physics.wisc.edu/twap/view.php?id=3107
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